Benvenuto Cellini’s Autobiography: Music, Art and Attitudes of the Renaissance

Benvenuto Cellini’s Autobiography shines a light on key aspects of the Renaissance. In this lengthy written work Cellini frequently gloats about his numerous successes. But at the same time, he manages to accurately represent the prevailing culture and attitudes of the Renaissance. The Italian Renaissance saw an explosion in music and the arts. Religious and secular music became significant forms of detailed expression. This is clearly illustrated by the obsession that Cellini’s father has with music. In the Autobiography he is determined to make his son become a famous musician. The significance of music is also clearly evident in the court culture that Benvenuto Cellini occasionally describes. All types of sculpture, metalwork and painting also abounded during the Italian Renaissance. In the Autobiography Cellini describes his involvement in the arts at great length. He demonstrates through his writing just how important the arts had become to society. The Pope and various secular and religious leaders commissioned expensive and often extravagant works of art. Throughout his Autobiography Cellini designs and constructs magnificent pieces for multiple wealthy and powerful consumers. The fellow artists and friends of Cellini also make expensive artistry for rich elites. As a result of this widespread explosion in the arts rivalry often occurred between sculptors, painters and other artisans. Benvenuto Cellini’s Autobiography illustrates a strong sense of competitiveness among the Italian artists. Throughout his masterwork Cellini tells stories of the intense quarrels between him and other tradesmen. These conflicts commonly arose out of this fierce competitiveness that wildly burned between differing tradesmen. In much of Cellini’s Autobiography he constantly tries to outdo the other artists’ work. In Benvenuto Cellini’s Autobiography he represents key aspects of the prevailing culture and attitudes of the Renaissance. These commonplace facets of society include the importance of music, explosion of the arts and intense competitiveness between varying artists.

In Benvenuto Cellini’s Autobiography he illustrates the importance of music in society. Based on his writing it is easy to discern that an explosion of music had occurred during the Renaissance. “But he fell in love with music, which became a second wife to him, and, perhaps because of that little flute which he played far too much, the fifers of the Signory asked him to join them. For a time he played with them merely to amuse himself, and then they pestered him into becoming a member of their band” (Cellini, page 7). His dad’s obsession with music clearly demonstrates just how widespread and important it had become. The fact that Cellini’s dad had become a serious musician illustrates the idea that music was rapidly spreading among the masses. Music had become much more popular among the common folk. This quote also shows the importance of music in society. It is quite obvious that Giovanni’s dad took music very seriously. Music had not only spread its influence far and wide, but also had become very important to the people of this time period. “In those days the musicians were all members of the most respected trades, and some of them belonged to the greater guilds of silk and wool. That was why my father was not ashamed to follow such a profession” (Cellini, page 8). This passage also illustrates just how widespread the explosion of music was. It describes how musicians were all members of the top trades. Many tradesmen practiced music on top of their artistic endeavors. It becomes quite evident that the artisans put just as much importance in music as the esteemed trades. “It was about this time that a man called Gianiacomo, who was a fifer from Cesena in the service of the Pope, and a splendid musician, got in touch with me. He sent a message through Lorenzo, the trumpeter from Lucca who is now serving our Duke of Florence, asking me if I would help them at the Pope’s August festival in some very beautiful motets they had chosen, by playing the soprano part on my cornet” (Cellini, page 33). Music had also clearly become an important facet of palace culture during the Renaissance. As illustrated by the quote, rulers far and wide had taken an intense interest in music. Not only the pope, but other rulers hired musicians to play them beautiful compositions. What can be ultimately gleaned is that music had disseminated through many parts of society. It was quickly becoming more commonplace, and important to a variety of people, from tradesmen to dukes and kings.

In Benvenuto Cellini’s Autobiography he describes at great length his artistic undertakings. Working for a variety of wealthy individuals, he is constantly designing and constructing new things. “My desire to learn the art, or rather my natural talent for it, in fact both of them, was so impelling that within a few months I found myself rivaling not only the good but the best craftsmen there were, and I began to profit from my labors” (Cellini, page 10). Cellini’s ability to profit from his work illustrates a key idea. The arts had exploded, allowing more people to make a successful living from them. The fact that Cellini had a desire to learn art shows just how commonplace it had become. If art hadn’t spread as far and wide as it did, then chances are Cellini wouldn’t have any desire to pursue it. The importance of the arts was also quite evident in the pieces that Cellini builds for wealthy patrons. Dukes, Cardinals and other rulers often asked him to construct magnificent pieces of artistry. “After I had started work I undertook to make some candlesticks for the Bishop of Salamanca, a Spaniard. They were as richly ornamented as such objects can be. The next thing that happened was that a pupil of Raphael’s called Gianfrancesco, and usually known as Il Fattore, who was a very fine painter, being a friend of the Bishop got me into his good books. The Bishop commissioned a great amount of work from me, and I earned a great deal of money” (Cellini, page 27). This quote shows the significance of art in the Renaissance. Members of the church and other elites commissioned pieces of work from sculptors and artisans such as Cellini. The rich clearly put much more importance on art, as they frequently commissioned beautiful pieces of artistry. What can be gleaned from this is that the elite class had taken a strong interest in differing forms of art. They supported its spread, and indulged in its beauty. Cellini made a comfortable living from his artistic endeavors. As described in the quote, he constructing numerous pieces of art for a bishop. If the arts hadn’t exploded, then Cellini would have trouble finding work. The fact that his work was in such high demand shows just how widespread art had become. “ ‘My reason for coming to Florence is to engage as many young craftsmen as I can, because I’ve an important piece of work to execute for my King and I want my Florentines to help me with it’ ” (Cellini, page 17). This quote elaborates on the idea that Benvenuto Cellini was in high demand for his work. He was constantly being asked to do work for varying rulers. This truly shows how important art had become to society as a whole during the Renaissance.

In his Autobiography Benvenuto Cellini establishes a sense of competitiveness and rivalry among artists. What can be gleaned from the text is that this competitiveness was a common attitude during the Renaissance. Varying craftsmen were constantly trying to outdo each other. “Thinking that he had convinced me, Lucagnolo answered: ‘Your work looks just as beautiful to me, but it won’t be long before we see the difference between them’ “ (Cellini, page 30). This quote illustrates the competitiveness between artists. It was as if they were constantly trying to prove themselves, and gain the admiration of others. In Benvenuto Cellini’s Autobiography the sense of intense competitiveness often led to conflict and violence. “By that time I had worked with a great number of different people in Florence, and I had found among the goldsmiths some honest men, like my first master, Marcone. But there were others who had good reputations and yet tried to ruin me, and they robbed me as wickedly as they could” (Cellini, page 22). This quote demonstrates how rivalries were often quite burning and intense. Everyone wanted to be at the top, often at the expense of others. What can be gleaned about this competitiveness is it stemmed from a strong desire to be the best. Honest goldsmiths with good reputations were willing to ruin others for their own advancement. This competitiveness was also very evident in Giovanni Cellini’s desire for his son to become a top musician. “ ‘I don’t want him to learn anything,’ answered my father, ‘except playing and composing, because if God lets him live I hope to turn him into the greatest musician in the whole world’ “ (Cellini, page 8). In Cellini’s writing it becomes clear that everybody was constantly trying to be the best. It was all about outdoing others and achieving immense success. This passage illustrates this idea perfectly. Cellini’s dad was completely bent on the idea that his son should be the absolute best musician. It’s almost as if some of his own self-worth stems from his son’s success. This egotistical thought pattern lead to rivalries and competitiveness, which ultimately caused quarreling and conflict.

In his Autobiography Benvenuto Cellini represents key aspects of the Renaissance in his writing. His writing sheds light on the main parts of the Renaissance, and what was occurring during that time period. What can be gleaned from Cellini’s masterpiece is that there was an explosion of music and art. The artistic explosion led to competitiveness among varying artisans, sculptors, craftsmen, etc. In Benvenuto Cellini’s masterpiece he accurately represents the importance of music, art and prevailing attitude of the artists during the Renaissance.

Bibliography:

Cellini, Benvenuto. Autobiography. Penguin Books, 1956.